This time of the year, parents and their children begin to clog the colorfully decorated aisles of toy stores around the world, some of busiest destinations of the holiday season. So perhaps there's nothing more eerie than the sight of shuttered toy stores and factories, once bustling and festive but now silent and decaying, left to the elements.

The "Toy Loft" in Danielson, Conn., featured in the slideshow above, was known as the ultimate fun park. Not only did it house a toy and hobby store, it had arcade games, a laser tag arena, a sword-fighting school, a miniature Tiki golf course, an Iron Works gym and a Wiffle ball court. But there are no laughing kids here filling their carts with toys and playing games.

Toy Loft has been abandoned since 2007, according to Abandoned Playgrounds. It's crumbling walls are now marred by water damage and rust, its old shelves still eerily stocked with vintage toys.

Merchandise, left untouched in the old storefront, appear at least 50 years old, according to RoadTrippers.com. The site also points out old notes from the previous owner still littering the premises, warning customers about breaking the arcade games, which now appear rusty and in disrepair.

"As structures deteriorate, rainfall entering buildings can cause extensive water damage, including significant flooding," according to Weather.com Meteorologist Christopher Dolce. In addition to rain, freeze and thaw cycles also cause the buildings to crack and crumble, and strong winds can peel away at roofing and siding, he explained.

The buildings at the former Kanga Wooden Toy Factory in Perth, Australia (also featured above), showed signs of cracking and crumbling caused by the elements. The graffiti-scarred factory was eventually demolished in November 2010.